Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent

John 12:20-33

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.' Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. Jesus Speaks about His Death 'Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-"Father, save me from this hour"? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.' Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.' The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, 'An angel has spoken to him.' Jesus answered, 'This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.' He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

John 12:20-33

In every death, there is life - this is the big message of Lent and of Easter. 

The grain of wheat will die and will through death nourish us with food. 

In the death of relationships, of health, of faith and all that may be dear to us 

there is always the invitation to deeper life. 

In our final death is the call to everlasting life.

Lenten Prayer of Oscar Romero

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.

Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:

We plant the seeds that one day will grow. 

We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will further development.

We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realising that.

This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.

It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.

Amen

Catholic Education Week

The Catholic Church has a long history of involvement in education, culture and welfare, as well as spreading the word of God. During this, Catholic Education Week, we acknowledge and celebrate how our schools are integral to the Church’s mission of handing on the faith to the next generation. It is with great hope and faith in the future that Catholic schools continue to respond to the mission of meeting the educational and spiritual needs of young people and our communities, just as they have done for the past 200 years.

Project Compassion

During Lent, at St. John Vianney's, we support the Project Compassion Campaign.  Perhaps your family could think about donating to help people in need in other countries.  

We do this because during Lent, we focus on three things:

* Praying

* Fasting or making a change on our lives and

* Giving to the poor.

Boxes have been distributed to the eldest in every family. At the beginning of Term 2, we will collect the boxes and families know how much has been raised by our school.

We will be helping those in need.  Can you help those in need?

Caritas need your donations and help.

Sacraments - 2021

Please refer to the page titled, Proposed Sacramental Program and Dates, for information regarding the preparation and celebration of the Sacraments.